Aurora, victims forever changed, but fighting back

People visit the memorial site by the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, July 20, 2013. People gathered outside the Aurora Municipal Center to mark the first anniversary of the deaths of 12 people and wounding of 58 others in a mass shooting that forever changed an entire community. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

AURORA — A bell tolled 12 times Saturday morning, once for each of the people who died one year ago in a mass shooting that rocked the nation and forever changed an entire community.

"One year ago the peace of our community was shattered," Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan said as he opened the 7/20 Day of Remembrance event just after 8:30 a.m. "One senseless act... does not define us as a community. Aurora will never forget what happened to our community. We will never stop caring for victims of that horrible evening."

Hogan and Gov. John Hickenlooper took turns reading the names of those who were killed when a gunman opened fire in a movie theater where people had gone to see a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises."

Jon Blunk.

AJ Boik.

Jesse Childress.

Gordon Cowden.

Jessica Redfield Ghawi.

John Larimer.

Matt McQuinn.

Micayla Medek.

Veronica Moser-Sullivan.

Alex Sullivan.

Alex Teves.

Rebecca Wingo.

"As we remember, we go forward," Hickenlooper said.

People survived the shooting — 58 of them wounded by guns.

Dr. Comilla Sasson, who treated many of them in the University of Colorado Hospital emergency room, choked up as she recalled the heroism of police, firefighters and doctors who saved lives.

"It is absolutely a miracle that 58 people survived that night," Sasson said.

Tears streamed down the faces of event attendees as the Hinkley High School choir sang "Amazing Grace."

Sam Columna and a band named "Sleep Well," performed a song written by Columna, who lives just moments away from the theater.

After the shooting, he said, "for the first time in my life, I really understood what tragedy was."

Cream-colored roses and seedling trees were handed out to people — some who were in the Century Aurora 16 the night of the shooting — as they filtered in to the event.

As it concluded, people placed the roses near a large memorial wreath.

The city was prepared for 2,500 participants, but about 250 were on the great lawn in the moments before the brief ceremony.

Some came to prove they were unbroken by the shooting.

Jessica Almand was at the movies the night of July 20, 2012. She said the past year has been difficult for her in ways that are different than she expected. Crowds are hard for her. She's frightened by loud noises. There have been flashbacks.

"But I'm here to show everyone I'm still strong, and to remember everyone who died," she said.

Terry Sullivan, mother of 27-year-old Alex who was killed in the Aurora theater shooting, left, hugs Heidi Bergman Soudani, mother of shooting survivor Farrah Soudani during a day of remembrance July 20, 2013, at Aurora Municipal Center. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

Her friend Brandon Dirito said he came to the event to see and remember. "And to have the people of Aurora know that we're survivors and are still doing good, and that everybody can get past these hard times."

State Rep. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, joined in the event "to remember the loss of innocent souls in the Aurora theater shooting."

Fields, who backed gun-control this past legislative session, said she was here "with the survivors and I'm here because I understand what it's like to lose someone due to gun violence."

As the Aurora Symphony Quintet played soulful Irish folk ballad "Danny Boy" behind him, Aurora Fire Chief Mike Garcia said he hoped the remembrance event gave the city, firefighters and first-responders the chance to move forward and heal.

"This gives me a chance to reflect on a year ago, what the courageous response the Aurora fire department had, along with the police and our fire dispatch and rural metro," Garcia said. "And I think back on how courageous those that were in the theater were, who stepped up and helped people in need."

"Today is a good day to bring everything together and move forward," he said.

Others came to reclaim their hometown.

"I grew up five minutes from here," said Josh Columna. "It affected the whole community."

Hundreds of mourners marked the one year anniversary of the Aurora theater shootings Saturday morning, July 20, 2013. They gathered on a hill across the street from the theater, lit candles in the moonlight, and remembered the dozen that died and the scores more that were injured a year ago. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

Following the ceremony, there were healing and community service projects planned throughout the city. Among the groups to participating in those events include Project C.U.R.E, Food Bank of the Rockies, Aurora Mental Health Center and Boys Hope Girls Hope of Colorado.

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